Puffinus mauretanicus -- Lowe, 1921 ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- -- Common names: Balearic ; European Red List Assessment European Red List Status CR -- Critically Endangered, (IUCN version 3.1) Assessment Information Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Critically Endangered (CR) EU27 regional assessment: Critically Endangered (CR)

This , endemic to Europe and the EU27 as a breeder, has a tiny breeding range and a small population which is undergoing an extremely rapid population decline owing to a number of threats, in particular predation at breeding colonies by introduced mammals and at-sea mortality as a result of fisheries by-catch. Population models predict an extremely rapid decline over three generations (54 years), qualifying the species as Critically Endangered (A4bcde). However, this assumption was based on the existence of a population of c. 2,000 breeding pairs, which could have been underestimated according to recent population estimates and records at sea, plus a recent re-evaluation of some colonies (i.e. increased accuracy in the estimates). Updated population viability analysis to re-evaluate the species's status is planned, incorporating recent population estimates and improved demographic data. Should this analysis reveal that the species is declining at a more moderate rate, this species will warrant downlisting. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: France; Ireland, Rep. of; Portugal; Spain; United Kingdom; Gibraltar (to UK) Origin Uncertain: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia; Faroe Islands (to DK); Greece; Malta; Montenegro; Slovenia Vagrant: Belgium; Denmark; Germany; Italy; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Sweden Population The European population is estimated at 3,200 pairs, which equates to 6,400 mature individuals. The entire population is found in the EU27. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend Using the previous population estimate of 2,000-2,400 breeding pairs, Oro et al. (2004) estimate a mean decline of 7.4% per year and a mean time, as estimated by population viability analysis, of just over 40 years. This equates to an ongoing population decline of more than 80% in three generations (54 years). However, an updated population viability analysis is necessary to re-evaluate the population trend, taking into account the new population estimate and improved demographic data (particularly adult survivability estimates). While the new information on population size could smooth the decreasing trend, adult survival could be even lower than assumed by Oro et al. (2004), given that their analysis did not take into account colonies subject to predation (Arcos 2011a). For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology This species is marine, usually found around inshore waters (del Hoyo et al. 2014). It breeds on cliffs and small islets and lays only one egg. Adult do not breed until their third year (Oro et al. 2004). Breeding occurs between February and June (Ruiz & Martí 2004). The species nests in colonies, in rock crevices or on cave ledges lined sparsely with plant material. It feeds mostly on small shoaling , squid and crustaceans (del Hoyo et al. 2014). After breeding, most birds leave the Mediterranean for the Atlantic coast of south-west Europe, mainly Portugal, north-west Spain and the Bay of Biscay (Ruiz and Martí 2004, Ramírez et al. 2008, Arcos et al. 2009). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands major breeding Marine Neritic - Macroalgal/Kelp major breeding Marine Neritic - Macroalgal/Kelp major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Pelagic major breeding Marine Neritic - Pelagic major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Seagrass (Submerged) major breeding Marine Neritic - Seagrass (Submerged) major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel major breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs major breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy major breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy-Mud major breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy-Mud major non-breeding Marine Oceanic - Epipelagic (m) major breeding Marine Oceanic - Epipelagic (m) major non-breeding Altitude Occasional altitudinal limits Threats This is a long-lived species and therefore immediate threats affect adult mortality rates. Adult survival is the main conservation concern, as this is unusually low for a Procellariiform (Oro et al. 2004). In accordance, the main threats identified are predation by introduced carnivores such as cats, martens and genets in the breeding colonies (Arcos and Oro 2004, Ruiz and Martí 2004, Jones et al. 2008, Arcos 2011) and fisheries by-catch at sea (Arcos 2011). The species's gregarious behaviour and its close association with fishing boats means that occasional mass mortality is likely to occur when long-line boats fish close to flocks (Arcos et al. 2008) and it appears that bycatch is fairly common but often occurs on an irregular basis, suggesting that estimates derived from observations on a limited number of trips onboard fishing vessels could be largely underestimates (Boue et al. 2013). Increasing evidence on this has been compiled in the last few years, with events of up to a hundred or more birds caught in a single event, in occasions involving other fishing gear such as purse-seiners (ICES 2008, Louzao et al. 2011). Due to the congregatory behaviour of the species, acute pollution events such as oil spills also pose a very serious threat as a large number of casualties could result from a spill occurring in a congregation area (Ruiz and Martí 2004, Gutiérrez 2011). Other threats include: the reduction of prey due to fishing overexploitation; a potential reduction in fishing discards (an alternative to the overexploited natural prey) and/or anthropogenic environmental change (Arcos 2011); habitat degradation and disturbance in the breeding grounds; background pollution (Oro et al. 2008); the development of marine windfarms (Arcos 2011a); and human harvesting (nowadays a relict activity). Predation by Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) in the breeding colonies has also been recently reported (García 2009, Wynn et al. 2010), though this should be considered as a factor of natural mortality that likely has little influence on the decline of the species. The gradual northward movement of the non-breeding population may be affecting adult survival, and this shift may be due to climate change or alterations in fish distributions as a result of fisheries' activities (Yésou 2003, Wynn and Yésou 2007). The recent demographic decline has not yet decreased the species's genetic variability and connectivity found among colonies at least does not exacerbate the species's extinction risk (Genovart et al. 2007). Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Biological resource Fishing & harvesting Timing Scope Severity Impact use aquatic resources Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Rapid Declines Medium Impact (unintentional effects: (large scale) Stresses [harvest]) Species mortality; Competition Biological resource Hunting & trapping Timing Scope Severity Impact use terrestrial Past, Unlikely to Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Past Impact (intentional use - Return species is the target) Stresses Species mortality Climate change & Habitat shifting & Timing Scope Severity Impact severe weather alteration Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Medium Impact Declines Stresses Species disturbance Energy production Renewable energy Timing Scope Severity Impact & mining Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Low Impact Declines Stresses Species mortality Invasive and other Black (Rattus Timing Scope Severity Impact problematic rattus) Ongoing Whole (>90%) Slow, Significant Medium Impact species, genes & Declines diseases Stresses Reduced reproductive success Invasive and other Brown Rat (Rattus Timing Scope Severity Impact problematic norvegicus) Ongoing Whole (>90%) Negligible declines Medium Impact species, genes & diseases Stresses Species mortality Invasive and other Common Genet Timing Scope Severity Impact problematic (Genetta genetta) Ongoing Whole (>90%) Slow, Significant Medium Impact species, genes & Declines diseases Stresses Species mortality Invasive and other Domestic Cat (Felis Timing Scope Severity Impact problematic catus) Ongoing Whole (>90%) Slow, Significant Medium Impact species, genes & Declines diseases Stresses Species mortality; Reduced reproductive success Pollution Domestic & urban Timing Scope Severity Impact waste water (type Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Unknown Unknown unknown/ unrecorded) Stresses Reduced reproductive success Pollution Light pollution Timing Scope Severity Impact Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Low Impact Declines Stresses Species mortality; Reduced reproductive success Pollution Oil spills Timing Scope Severity Impact Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Medium Impact Declines Stresses Species mortality Residential & Housing & urban Timing Scope Severity Impact commercial areas Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Low Impact development Declines Stresses Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Ecosystem degradation; Species disturbance Residential & Tourism & Timing Scope Severity Impact commercial recreation areas Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Low Impact development Declines Stresses Species disturbance; Reduced reproductive success Conservation Conservation Actions Underway CMS Appendix I. All breeding sites are currently protected as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) under the Natura 2000 network, with the unique exception of the colony of Punta Prima in Formentera where new information has revealed that the prevailing colony (50 pp.) lays right outside the SPA (and the overlapping Important Area, IBA) designated for this species. The management plans for the Balearic SPAs have not been yet implemented. Management plans are therefore limited to colonies covered by other designations, such as the National Park of Cabrera and the Natural Park of Sa Dragonera. Rat eradication campaigns have been conducted at several colonies, including Cabrera archipelago and Dragonera Island, but less effort has been directed at the colonies of greatest concern where carnivores are present (e.g. Formentera and Menorca). At sea, the Spanish Government has started the process of SPA designation based on the inventory of marine IBAs conducted by SEO/BirdLife, which, once concluded, will provide protection to the main hotspots for the species in Spanish waters. So far only a few small coastal sites have been designated as SPAs by the regional governments in Spain. Portugal already has an inventory of marine IBAs, but their designation as SPAs is still pending. Finally, France has also proposed a network of SPAs that include hotspots for the species. Management plans for all the marine SPAs are still pending. Action Plans for the species have been published at local, national or international level in 1991, 1999, 2004, and 2005 (Jones et al. 2008). A LIFE project for the species ran from 1991-2001 (Ruiz and Martí 2004), and Spain and Portugal had a joint LIFE project running from 2004-2008 aimed at identifying marine IBAs, including for this species (Ramírez et al. 2008, Arcos et al. 2009). A number of actions are currently being implemented through Species Guardians SEO/ BirdLife and SPEA as part of BirdLife's Preventing programme. Moreover, research on the species is also being conducted by BirdLife partners in collaboration with several research centres, with funding from EC projects LIFE+ INDEMARES (Spain) and Interreg FAME (Portugal, Spain, France, UK and Ireland). The main initiatives include the assessment of bycatch through questionnaires to fishermen, observers onboard fishing vessels and conducting beached bird surveys, and the identification of hotspots at sea through boat surveys, coastal counts and tracking studies (breeding and non-breeding grounds).

Conservation Actions Proposed Control and eradicate introduced predators (with particular emphasis on carnivores) in breeding colonies identified as at risk. Thoroughly study the problem of bycatch by long-line fishing and develop awareness campaigns directed at the fishing sector, in order to mitigate this threat, plus assess and implement the appropriate mitigation measures. Ensure effective protection for nesting sites and marine hotspots, and the implementation of monitoring schemes and management plans. Develop a rapid response plan for a potential oil spill close to main feeding and breeding areas. Raise awareness and stop human exploitation. Study small pelagic fish populations in the western Mediterranean and in the Bay of Biscay to assess extent of over- exploitation and how this affects the species. Assess the impact of pollutants and heavy metals on this species. Improve understanding of at-sea distribution, including during the non-breeding season. Bibliography Arcos, J.M. and Oro, D. 2004. Pardela balear, mauretanicus. In: Madroño, A., González, C. and Atienza, J.C (ed.), Libro Rojo de las Aves de España, pp. 46-50. Dirección General para la Biodiversidad- SEO/BirdLife. Madrid. Arcos, J.M., Bécares, J., Rodríguez, B., Ruiz, A. and Oro, D. 2011. How many Balearic are out there? Discrepancies between breeding and at sea estimates. Presentation at the 13th MEDMARAVIS Pan- Mediterranean Symposium, Alghero, Sardinia. 14 - 17 October 2011. Arcos, J.M., Bécares, J., Rodrí-guez, B. and Ruiz, A. 2009. Áreas importantes para las aves marinas en España. LIFE04NAT/ES/000049 . Sociedad Española de Ornitología (SEO/BirdLife), Madrid. Bibliography Boue, A., Louzao, M., Arcos, J.M., Delord, K., Weimerskirch, H., Cortes, V., Barros, N., Guilford, T., Arroyo, G.M., Oro, D., Andrade, J., Garcia, D., Dalloyau, S., Gonzalez-Solis, J., Newton, S., Wynn, R. and Micol, T. 2013. First Meeting of the Population and Working Group. Recent and current research on Balearic shearwater on colonies and in Atlantic and Mediterranean areas. Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, La Rochelle, France. del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. and Kirwan, G.M. 2014. Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) 2014. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/467282 on 14 January 2015). Garcí-a, D. 2009. Predation on the endemic Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus by Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus. Alauda 3: 230-231. Genovart, M., Oro, D., Juste, J. and Bertorelle, G. 2007. What genetics tell us about the conservation of the critically endangered Balearic Shearwater. Biological Conservation 137(2): 283-293. Gutiérrez, R. 2011. Un vertido de petróleo amenaza el delta del Ebro. Aves y naturaleza: 37. ICES. 2008. Report of the Working Group on Ecology (WGSE). ICES CM 2008/LRC:05. Lisbon, Portugal. Jones, H.P., Tershy, B.R., Zavaleta, E.S., Croll, D.A., Keitt, B.S., Finkelstein, M.E. and Howald, G.R. 2008. Severity of the effects of invasive on : a global review. Conservation Biology 22(1): 16-26. Louzao, M., Arcos, J.M., Laneria, K., Beldae, E., Guallartf, J., Sánchez, A., Giménez, M., Maestre, R. and Oro, D. 2011. ["Evidence of the incidental capture of the Balearic Shearwater at sea"]. Proceedings of the 6 CONGRESS of GIAM and the International workshop on petrels and shearwaters ecology at southern Europe. 34: 165-168. Oro, D., Louzao, M., Forero, M.G., Arcos, J.M., Genovart, M., Juste, J. and Igual, J.M. 2008. Investigaciones aplicadas a la conservación de una especie en peligro de extinción (la Pardela Balear en el Parque Nacional de Cabrera): R equerimientos ecológicos, demografía y dinámica de poblaciones. Proyectos de Investigación en Parques Nacionales: 2003-2006. Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, Madrid. Oro, D., Aguilar, J.S., Igual, J.M. and Louzao, M. 2004. Modelling demography and extinction risk in the endangered Balearic shearwater. Biological Conservation 116: 93-102. Ramí-rez, I., Geraldes, P., Meirinho, A., Amorim, P. and Paiva, V. 2008. Important Bird Areas for seabirds in Portugal. Sociedade Portuguesa Para o Estudo das Aves, Lisbon. Ruiz, A. and Mart í, R. 2004. La Pardela balear. SEO/BirdLife, Madrid. Wynn, R. B., McMinn-Grivé, M. and Rodriguez-Molina, A. 2010. The predation of Balearic Shearwaters by Peregrine Falcons. British Birds 103(6): 350-353. Wynn, R.B., and Yésou, P. 2007. The changing status of Balearic Shearwater in northwest European waters. British Birds 100(7): 392. Yésou, P. 2003. Recent changes in the summer distribution of Balearic Shearwaters (Puffinus mauretanicus) off western France. Scientia Marina 67: 143-148. Map (see overleaf)